Gathering of Heroes
by Kitten
Summary: This story comes before "Ode to the Forgotten Heroes" and explains how Julian met Rob and Damon and how he got where he was. **It's better than it sounds**


1 WELC  
  
1.1 OMET  
  
OMYW  
  
ORLD  
  
The sign alone caught his attention as the man known only as Julian stumbled along in his suddenly new surroundings.  
  
He paused and looked again at the sign sitting outside an unusually popular little pub then smiled.  
  
Somebody is messing with me, he thought grimly noting the trimming of various black flowers on the sign. Julian smiled all of a sudden thinking, might as well see who wants my attention.  
  
He walked inside instantly taking in his surroundings. A small mixture of shape changers, vampires and witches were on the dance floor moving in time to the techno-trance music erupting from the speakers. Humans were chatting away with their friends in the controlled dangerous surroundings. Julian spotted two gentlemen sitting at the bar each sipping their drinks in quiet contemplation ignoring the other. Hidden in the shadows of the bar, was the bartender and owner.  
  
Julian walked over and sat beside the three guys at the bar.  
  
"You're here for the apartment upstairs, aren't you." The bartender said to him placing a bottle of water in front of Julian. "Your snake and wolf friend already are upstairs with yer stuff."  
  
Julian did a double take and was about to ask a bunch of questions when the barman leaned out of the shadows and handed him the apartment keys.  
  
Almost in a dreamlike stupor, the young Shadow man slipped out of the stool and went upstairs to his new home.  
  
The walls were covered with shelves of junk. From book of poetry that included many works by Poe to little gold statues of Buddha and a modern stereo system playing some acid rock turned down low.  
  
The Kitchen was cluttered with various food boxes, both empty and ready to cook. Pizza boxes from Dominoes and a store were neatly stacked in one corner with Chinese take out and a mousetrap.  
  
Ten boxes of microwave pizza were neatly piled one on top another next to a bag of dog food already opened. Next to the bag was a folding table loaded down with more food, a liter bottle of spring water and an aquarium full of bugs and mice.  
  
Big bugs and mice, Julian noted.  
  
His gaze drifted to the couch in front of him.  
  
Asleep and curled up together were Fenris and Jormungand, also known as The Lurker and The Creeper.  
  
"You two have been busy." He murmured and the two animals popped up instantly awake and greeted their master.  
  
"Do you know what were doing here? And how we get here?" Julian inquired as Jormungand slithered over to him and wrapped around to give Julian a snake's version of a hug.  
  
Fenris cocked his head in confusion but an odd gleam appeared in his eyes that hinted otherwise. Then suddenly he barked and tackled Julian to the ground where he began licking his master's face.  
  
Julian laughed as he unwrapped Jormungand from around him, then pushed Fenris off and sat up.  
  
"You two stay up here, I'm going to go back downstairs." He told them.  
  
Moments later after Julian shut the door behind him, the two animals exchanged wry glances.  
  
Back downstairs, Julian returned to his seat and look at the two men on either side of him.  
  
The one on his right was a golden boy. Tan, blond, athletic body and golden eyes. Julian silently snickered watching him fight the urge to gulp down the whiskey bottle in front of him. The young man would glance at the bottle in front of him, glance away and then grab the bottle and take a swig from it.  
  
The other was a startling contrast to the golden boy. While the other was tan, this man was pale with dark hair and eyes to match. From the scent of the dark red drink in front of him, Julian determined he was a vampire. After a careful study, he corrected himself. An old vampire.  
  
Julian set his chin on the bar and alternated between watching the gold one get himself drunk and the vampire scrutinize his blood.  
  
"Do you mind?" the vampire snapped without removing his gaze from the cup.  
  
"Staring at you?" Julian asked and smiled, "No I don't."  
  
The human on the other side of Julian snorted and muttered, "Glad it's not me."  
  
The shadow man turned to him and smiled, "Oh, I'm staring at you too."  
  
The bartender chuckled from the shadows.  
  
The vampire look up and locked gazes with Julian, exerting his will on the shadow man "Leave me alone."  
  
Julian only laughed, "Vampire mind control doesn't work on my kind, so you better just get used to me." He then turned to the human.  
  
"And being a psychic doesn't help either."  
  
Both men just stared at Julian, one calmly, the other not.  
  
"What are you?" the vampire inquired turning his attention back to the drink before him.  
  
Julian smirked, "Depends on what you fear."  
  
The vampire rolled his eyes, "Do you have a name?"  
  
"Julian is as good as anything."  
  
The psychic took Julian's hand and shook it heartily, "I'm Rob Kessler."  
  
Julian jerked his hand free as the vampire chuckled.  
  
"You remind me of two of my friends." Rob said and his face dropped. "One of them took my girlfriend."  
  
"That's something I can relate to." The vampire muttered and took a sip from his cup.  
  
"Me as well." Julian added soberly, receiving looks from both men. "So what were their names?"  
  
"Kaitlyn." Rob said with a dreamy sigh.  
  
"Elena" the vampire told everyone.  
  
Julian smirked, "If beauty had a name it would be Jenny."  
  
All three looked at each other and laughed harshly.  
  
"Damon Salvatore." The vampire introduced.  
  
"Welcome to the Lost Loves club, Damon." Rob said wryly.  
  
Damon snorted, "I don't know about you two, but I was a forgotten hero."  
  
"Same here." Julian looked to Rob.  
  
Rob shrugged, "I guess I was too."  
  
"Get shot by lightning?" Damon asked.  
  
"Or got yourself erased?"  
  
Everyone jerked his gaze to Julian.  
  
"Long story." He replied with a slight flush.  
  
The three forgotten heroes continued to talk and told the others his story then slowly night became light. Soon it became time to rest and continue with their lives.  
  
But they promised to return each week to share more stories and drinks until each of them finally found themselves heroes. 


End file.
